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Vodka, shark chaser
BRICKIE Phillip Kerkhof says it was vodka that made him jump in the ocean and wrestle a 1.3m bronze whaler shark with his bare hands.
Mr Kerkhof caught the shark and dragged it on to the jetty, to the cheers of other fishermen, barely receiving a scratch.
And only after he sobered up next day did he realise he'd been an idiot.
But yesterday the South Australian was the toast of Louth Bay, about 15km north of Port Lincoln, and has a freezer full of shark meat to show for his impulsive actions.
Mr Kerkhof, 42, knocked off work early on Monday and headed to the pub for "a fair few vodkas" before going fishing with mates on the jetty.
When he saw the 1.3m bronze whaler, he stripped off and launched himself into the water.
"It was a bit of a fluke," Mr Kerkhof said.
"I just got behind it and went for a big grab.
"I guess you could say it was the vodka spurring me on . . . it's amazing what vodka does to you."
His only injury was a scratch to his leg where the angry shark bit a hole in his jeans.
Mr Kerkhof said after sobering up the next day he realised he had been "a bit of an idiot", but it wasn't the first time he had acted on impulse.
BRICKIE Phillip Kerkhof says it was vodka that made him jump in the ocean and wrestle a 1.3m bronze whaler shark with his bare hands.
Mr Kerkhof caught the shark and dragged it on to the jetty, to the cheers of other fishermen, barely receiving a scratch.
And only after he sobered up next day did he realise he'd been an idiot.
But yesterday the South Australian was the toast of Louth Bay, about 15km north of Port Lincoln, and has a freezer full of shark meat to show for his impulsive actions.
Mr Kerkhof, 42, knocked off work early on Monday and headed to the pub for "a fair few vodkas" before going fishing with mates on the jetty.
When he saw the 1.3m bronze whaler, he stripped off and launched himself into the water.
"It was a bit of a fluke," Mr Kerkhof said.
"I just got behind it and went for a big grab.
"I guess you could say it was the vodka spurring me on . . . it's amazing what vodka does to you."
His only injury was a scratch to his leg where the angry shark bit a hole in his jeans.
Mr Kerkhof said after sobering up the next day he realised he had been "a bit of an idiot", but it wasn't the first time he had acted on impulse.
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